Conventionally, miniature, low profile connectors to be connected to substrates such as printed circuit boards in which electrical equipment, electronic equipment, etc. including wires such as cables have been widely used. One problem concerning such connectors is that these connectors easily come off or release connected mating connectors. Therefore, a latch connector including a latch mechanism has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a conventional latch connector.
In the figure, 811 is a housing of a latch connector connected to the tip of a cable 861 and is made of an insulating resin material. Note that a boot 864 for relaxing the stress added to the cable 861 on the portion connecting the housing 811 is attached on the outer periphery in the vicinity of the tip of the cable 861.
Additionally, a rectangular cylindrical shell 871 made of a metal plate protrudes forward from the tip of the housing 811, while multiple terminals 851 electrically connected to mating terminals (not illustrated), as well as a terminal supporting part 815 made of an insulating resin material for the supporting terminals 851, are provided in the rectangular opening of the shell 871. Multiple wires contained in the cable 861 are soldered to the multiple terminals 851.
Moreover, right and left notched parts 873 are formed on the top plate of the shell 871, with a latch member 881 housed inside each notched part 873. Each latch member 881 is a cantilevered elastic member made of a long narrow metal plate stretching in the anteroposterior direction, with a latch claw 882 protruding upward formed on the tip thereof, that is, the free end thereof, and the base end thereof fixed in the housing 811.
In contrast, a notched part 814 is formed in the center of a top plate part 812 of the housing 811, with a latch release button 821 housed inside the notched part 814. The latch release button 821 is a cantilevered elastic member made of a resin material stretching in the anteroposterior direction, with the base end thereof integrally connected to the top plate part 812 and mostly protruding above the top plate part 812. Moreover, the tip, that is, the free end of the latch release button 821 is disposed between the tip and the base end of the right and left latch members 881, as well as just above the portion adjacent to the base end.
Because each latch member 881 includes spring properties and is always flush with the top plate of the shell 871, the latch claw 882 constantly protrudes above the top plate of the shell 871. Therefore, for the case in which the latch connector and a mating connector are mated together, when the shell 871 is inserted into the insertion opening of the mating connector (not illustrated), the latch claw 882 enters a locking hole formed on the top plate of the insertion opening of the mating connector so as to be locked. As a result, the shell 871 of the latch connector is latched by the insertion opening of the mating connector and prevented from being separated from the insertion opening.
Moreover, for the case in which the mating between the latch connector and the mating connector is released to remove the latch connector, an operator presses down the latch release button 821 protruding above the top plate part 812 of the housing 811 by finger. Thereupon, the tip of the latch release button 821 presses down the portion adjacent to the base end of the right and left latch members 881, causing the latch claw 882 at the tip of each latch member 881 to be displaced downward and come off the locking hole formed on the top plate of the insertion opening of the mating connector. As a result, the locking state between the latch claw 882 and the locking hole is released and the latch between the shell 871 of the latch connector and the insertion opening of the mating connector is released, allowing the shell 871 to come off the insertion opening of the mating connector.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-086495